Help me install LL

[gold_finger]

I take it that the external keyboard was working with the <F2> key at first, but after you made various settings changes it stopped working during boot-up and now <F2> key no longer works.  Correct?  If so, try torreydale's suggestion to remove hard drive, forcing it to boot into UEFI/Bios settings menu.  Hopefully (and possibly after waiting a minute or two if needed once in Bios screen) the keyboard and mouse work then.  If so, look around in the settings menu and there should be a way listed there to restore to defaults.


Once defaults have been restored, only change three things:

1. Turn off Secure Boot
   
2. Enable CSM/(Legacy) boot mode -- if you want to install LL that way.  (If you want to try using the UEFI test ISO of LL, then keep UEFI mode on.)
   
3. Go to the Boot Priority list and put both the cd/dvd and usb ahead of the hard drive in boot priority.  (This step isn't completely necessary, but makes it a bit more convenient by automatically booting into any bootable cd/dvd/usb if one happens to be attached during bootup.  Otherwise, the easiest thing to do is use the per-session boot menu invoke with the <F12> key, which is what my non-uefi Toshiba uses for that.)
   

If keyboard did work before you made the changes, then above is all you probably need to do.  If not, then also look for something in there about enabling "Legacy USB support" and enable that too.


If even that doesn't work to get keyboard recognized on boot, go back into UEFI/Bios settings and disable "Fast Boot".  (That is not the same thing as "Fast Startup" in Windows 8-10.)


Assuming all is now working normally, boot your LL dvd/usb and open a terminal.  Enter this command to look at the hard drive partitions:

Code:

sudo parted --list

Look at the line for "Partition Table".  If you installed Mint in UEFI mode before, it should say it's a "gpt" partition table.  Assuming that is the case:

• Windows 7 can install to gpt partitions, but must be a 64-bit version of Windows and will end up installed in UEFI mode.
  
• Windows XP can not install to gpt disks.  (You would need to use GParted from live LL to change partition table back to "msdos" first; then XP would be able to install.)
  
• LL can be installed to gpt disk in either CSM/Legacy mode using regular ISO, or (for now) in UEFI mode using the special ISO Jerry released for testing.  (Download that a.s.a.p. if you think you want to try it.  I don't think he'll keep that active for long.)
  

If partition table = "msdos", then you installed Mint in Legacy mode and I have no idea why there were problems with either version of Windows trying to install.


For CSM/Legacy mode install of LL you can either keep partitions as GPT or use GParted from live LL to change the partition table to "msdos" to make the install more familiar for you.  (GParted -> Device -> Create Partition Table -> "msdos" -> OK.)  To install in Legacy mode to a GPT partitioned disk follow this tutorial:  https://www.linuxliteos.com/forums/tutor...artitions/